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Backgrounds and Backstories
Backgrounds For games played in Orthonia, all example backgrounds presented in the PHB will be available for use by player characters. Additionally, although it is already lightly suggested in the PHB, it is highly encouraged for players to develop their own background characteristics, or even their own custom backgrounds. It can be as vague or as specific as you like, and the DM should be open for consultation for ensuring that proficiency choices and special abilities remain thematic and relevant. If you have trouble, though, the PHB's suggestions are perfectly serviceable. Detailed here are suggestions for developing the PHB's backgrounds to make them thematically compatible with this setting. Be sure to read the PHB's descriptions for more inspiration, and keep in mind that they are merely suggestions - if you don't care too much about fitting into the setting, feel free to play whatever you want, and in whatever manner you want. Acolyte Any race and alignment is appropriate for this background choice, and despite the fact that it is clearly geared for clerics, most classes should fit in as well, though it may be somewhat difficult for a barbarian acolyte to find a place in the world. Orthonia has a rich culture of worship, so acolytes can be found in almost any part of the world. Fleshing out an acolyte can be as simple as picking a deity (or even demideity - ask the DM for assistance with this) that is compatible with your vision for your character. Consider the goals of your priestly duties, and how they may intertwine with the ideals of your divine patron. Charlatan Once again, this background isn't hard to implement. Nearly all races have plenty of tricky individuals, and gnomes, lightfoot halflings, and tieflings are especially famous for being witty schemers. You may want to avoid this background for lawful characters, though. Bards, rogues, and sorcerers are good matches for this background. To develop a charlatan, you may decide that they come from the nearest large city and have a zany get-rich-quick scheme. Your fellow party members might be fellow con men, unaware marks, or even victims who managed to stick around longer than you expected. Criminal You can develop this background to be simple and no-frills (such as the ever-present petty thief) or complex and specific. This background is best suited to chaotic or evil characters, though nearly any race could apply. (Do note that dwarven serial criminals are quite rare - their justice system is quite harsh.) Most classes should work fine as well, except perhaps for monks and paladins. Local laws may widely vary, so depending on where your character is from, they may be on the lam for doing all manner of illegal activities. For specific suggestions, you will likely want to discuss the details with the DM. Additionally, you may be interested in the spy variant, which has different implications for this background. It can literally be appropriate for any race, class, or alignment, even lawful good. Discuss with the DM about how your character came to spy for their country or leader, and what their main goal might be. Entertainer Orthonians love good entertainment, so entertainers can come from all walks of life. Bards are famous for this background, and while dour monks and paladins or vicious barbarians may seem inappropriate for the role, it's not unheard of for even them to take on this sort of career. Think about how your character does his or her job. If your entertainment style doesn't fit the Performance skill very well, you may want to consider trading your proficiency in it for another skill that fits better, as well as ditching the musical instrument proficiency for something else. Additionally, think about why your character is motivated to go on adventures along with their career in entertainment. They might come from an isolated village and jumped at the chance to take their talent elsewhere, or perhaps they're simply broke and need the extra income. Folk Hero A character with this background likely comes from a village or small town and has done an impressive deed that earned him or her some modest local fame. Talk with the DM about what this deed was - he or she will likely want to document it in the setting. Or, ask the DM for suggestions that could come straight from Orthonia's recent history. A local hero can be any class or even any alignment - a famous person need not be a good person, after all - but some uncommon races might fail to gain the necessary fame that the background needs. Think about the local perception of the "everyman" in your character's hometown. Guild Artisan This background might necessitate close coordination with the DM. Learn what craftsman or merchant guilds are prevalent in your character's country or region of origin, and think about the particular craft or trade that your character practices. You may want to iron out some other details of your guild membership with your DM. Characters of any alignment and class are free to join a guild - though a barbarian artisan may raise a few eyebrows - but be aware of any racial discrimination in the area that may impede your membership in any way. It need not prevent you from taking this background, but may present unique roleplaying situations. Hermit This background is perfect for any character that has decided to eschew society and live on their own in quiet contemplation. Alignment, class, and race are mostly superfluous for being a hermit, but some classes suit it well, such as the druid or sorcerer, as do certain uncommon races, such as dragonborn or planetouched. The DM will want to work with you to make sure that your discovery is one that is particularly important to the adventure - this background feature can otherwise become irrelevant quite easily! Noble Again, making a noble character will likely require cooperation with the DM to ensure that your character's noble status is compatible with the setting. Learn about the local governments and try to fit your character to a suitable position. Learn or discuss with the DM what sort of people your character would have to deal with in that position. Any class or alignment can fit in this background easily enough, but once again, bear in mind the local demographics of your home region. Although not entirely unheard of, it would be quite hard to play, say, a dwarf nobleman in Baietours. This is a challenging background to develop but is absolutely full of wonderful roleplay opportunities. Outlander Like a hermit, an outlander often lives estranged from civilization, but unlike hermits, they're not there to seek enlightenment, and instead eke out a rough existence in the wilderness mostly out of unfamiliarity with mainstream culture. Outlanders are often thought of as savage compared to most members of society - remember to consider that in your roleplay. Any alignment, class, or race can be appropriate for this background, though barbarians and druids are especially well suited classes, and half-orcs and owl elves are especially well suited races. You may want to talk with the DM about what kinds of primitive societies might support Outlanders like your character, but a lone wanderer is perfectly viable as well. Sage Sages are among the academic elite of society, and are highly learned individuals. While it's quite common for a wizard to have this background, a barbarian sage would likely have a hard time. If you are playing a raven elf of any kind, chances are better than average that you have this background, due to the intense academic rigor of their society. A raven elf wizard may even be questing to qualify for a position among the Argent Scholars. Other races can effectively play with this background, even the stereotypically dull half-orcs. Think about your character's academic career, and what it is they are so eager to learn about. Sailor Men and women of the sea, sailors in Orthonia are bound to the coast by their lifestyle. Any alignment, class, or race is appropriate for this background, but keep in mind that gnomish sailors are unheard of (though not implausible) and that the rough sea waves make spellcasting difficult and possibly undesirable for casting classes. Think about the manner of ship that your character is used to working on. Human sailors often work for the vast Merchant Fleet of Baietours, while dwarves usually carry out trade and exploration on the oceans, and eagle elves maintain a strong naval military. Of course, since docks worldwide serve any variety of vessel, your options in this regard are quite diverse. Soldier Most societies in Orthonia know warfare quite intimately, and as a result, many of its people are drawn into the life of a soldier. Consider your homeland and its current military situation; for instance, the dwarves, strongheart halflings and eagle elves have strong military traditions with permanent standing armies or conscription policies, while other cultures have little more than a voluntary militia. Talk with the DM about what sort of conflicts your character has encountered, particularly if you're interested in having taken part in historically significant battles. Career soldiers tend to be more lawful than chaotic, and their position on the good/evil axis is largely dependent on that of their home culture. What drives your character to fight for their nation? Urchin Urchins are, generally speaking, the marginalized city folk who manage to scrape by one day at a time. Think about where your hometown is, and what it's like. Did you rely on the kindness of strangers to make a living, or did you carve out your path with a blade? Any alignment, class, or race is appropriate for this background, as all societies have their dregs. This isn't a very difficult or complicated background to play, but consider how your character came across the means to take up the life of an adventurer, and what sort of people they're used to dealing with in their home city. Backstories Backstories are similar to backgrounds in that they provide a little character development for player characters, but unlike backgrounds, they're a little more specific and are individual to a particular character. An adventure in Orthonia may open with the player characters rolling on a table to determine their characters' backstory, explaining how they got into the situation leading up to the adventure. Backstories can be fully customized to suit the player and the character, and should really only be considered a source of roleplay opportunity and story development rather than any kind of mechanical bonus.